Slovakia

On 15 December, a vote of no-confidence brought down Slovakia’s minority government over its failure to address rising inflation and to deliver anti-corruption reforms. The motion passed by only three votes and was called by the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, formerly a governing coalition member.  Eduard Heger has been appointed the head of a limited interim government, as parties in the current parliament seek to form a new coalition. President Zuzana Čaputová has in parallel urged party leaders to pass legislation allowing snap elections to be held. Recent polls show a fragmented party system, and the party of former Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has indicated that he would end military aid for Ukraine, in a strong position.

Zuzana Čaputová Eduard Heger

Two men were killed outside of a LGBTQIA+ bar in Bratislava by the son of a former far-right politician, in an attack that prosecutors have since labelled an act of terrorism. The killings have spurred a wider debate on LGBTQIA+ rights and hate speech in Slovakia, and come as the Interior Ministry released a report last month warning that extremism has been on the rise over the past two years. Simultaneously this month, members of the Slovakian parliament failed to pass legislation which would facilitate registered partnerships for LGBTQIA+ couples. If passed, the ‘cohabitation bill’ would have been the first step towards providing basic rights for the LGBTQIA+ community, according to President Čaputová.

Personal Integrity and Security Hate Crime LGBTQIA+ Rights Zuzana Čaputová